MONTREAL, Feb. 18, 2025 /CNW/ - The annual organ donation figures announced today by Transplant Québec show that the record organ donation results announced in the previous year continued in 2024, with the most sustained activity in 10 years in terms of referrals (+ 89%) as well as the number of deceased donors (+ 20%), transplanted organs (+ 3%) or persons who benefitted from a transplant in Quebec (+ 9%).
"These results paint a positive picture, yet too many Quebecers, some 856, are still waiting for a live-saving transplantation," cautioned Martine Bouchard, chief executive officer of Transplant Québec.
While the number of organ donation referrals has increased, only about 20% of them lead to an organ donation. The majority of these efforts are invested in only a fraction of the results, and they do not serve to shorten the list of people waiting for an organ transplant. In fact, slightly more than 1% of hospital deaths meet the strict criteria for organ donation. "These figures highlight the urgent need for systemic change. With a potential of about 500 donors per year for roughly 1,500 transplantable organs, we've only reached about a third of our potential. So, in spite of the progress achieved over the years, the statistics are a reminder that we still have a lot of work to do," added Martine Bouchard.
The three top-performing regions in Quebec
In terms of organ donation referrals, the metropolitan region, prorated to population size, ranks first among the best-performing regions, with a rate of 23.8 potential donors per 100,000 residents. It is followed by the Capitale-Nationale (17.6) and the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean (17.3) regions. The Outaouais region, for its part, saw its referral rate increase by 46.2%, which was the most significant progress of all the regions in regard to referrals.
Essential improvements for realizing our full potential in relation to organ donation
The current organ donation system boasts a solid, but fragmented foundation. Regional disparities in terms of referrals and access to care, and the administrative complexity of organ donor registries, act to limit the system's effectiveness. "To achieve sustainable improvements that help save lives, Transplant Québec proposes actions on several fronts, including the establishment of a single online window to simplify the consent process, the review of referral obligations for potential donors by health establishments, and the official designation of Transplant Québec as the organization responsible for the entire process," said Martine Bouchard. These measures are not only essential for improving coordination, but they will also reduce wait times and increase the number of donations carried out.
Highlights at a glance (2023):
- 1,116 organ donation referrals to Transplant Québec.
- 856 people registered on the single waiting list managed by Transplant Québec (as of December 31).
- 551 people received a transplant in Quebec thanks to the generosity of deceased donors and their families.
- Wait times are at their lowest ever for lung and heart transplants, with an average of 49 and 156 days, respectively.
- 206 deceased donors in Quebec made it possible to transplant 644 organs.
The complementary information sheet can be viewed here.
The 2024 organ donation report for Quebec is available here.
About Transplant Québec
The Minister of Health and Social Services has mandated Transplant Québec to save lives and improve the health of persons in need of a transplant by coordinating the organ donation process, ensuring the equitable allocation of organs, supporting best clinical practices through consensus building and the mobilization of its partners, and promoting organ donation in society. Transplant Québec strives to ensure that as many Quebecers as possible who are waiting on an organ can receive a transplant in a timely manner.
SOURCE Transplant Québec
Sandy Bastien, Transplant Québec, 514 286-1414, poste 219 / 514 606-2130, [email protected]; Diane Jeannotte, 514 772-8019, [email protected]
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